Tracing Greg's Family Ancestry

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Today was shaping up to be a day of ancestral enlightenment for Greg, but first we are starting the day with coffee and Scottish Scones at Pete and Tracey's place. What a stellar way to start a day, great scones, coffee and company!

Armstrong is my maternal lineage. We set off with a two fold plan to find the grave of Johnnie Armstrong and then go to his the Gilnockie Tower which is the last remaining part of his home. Johnnie had been the best known of the Reivers (England/Scottish Boarder families) who had a force of 3000 followers on horses. It is said he ran a protection racket from Gilnockie to the gates of Newcastle City 60 miles away. The King of Scotland liked to have Johnnie protecting the edges of the kingdom, but when he became too powerful he became worried. Around 1530 Johnnie received a letter from King James V, he was flattered as he believed we would achieve a place at the court, when we rode out with 26 of his lead horsemen he only got 20 miles up the road before the King's men met him at Carlenrig where they were all immediately ordered to be hang. Johnnie a master orator pleaded for his and his men's lives, but the King stood fast and they were all strung up.

Across the road from the Carlenrig Church of Scotland is an Old cemetery and against the wall is the memorial of Johnnie Armstrong .

After the Memorial we drove 20 miles up the road to Gilnockie Tower, where we found the 16th Century Scottish Tower and the two dedicated operators who show off the tower daily. We took at Audio tour of the five storied tower and reviewed not only the history of the infamous Johnnie and another famous Clansmen Neil. Yes, we are related to Neil Armstrong.

We had done all this in the morning, but our time at Hawick had come to the end and we headed out for Dalkeith, to meet another friend, Anne Munro who we had a lovely dinner at The Sun Inn with before she gave a tour of the hotspots in Dalkeith.

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